Re: linux SMP stability or lack thereof

Robert G. Brown (rgb@phy.duke.edu)
Wed, 30 Sep 1998 13:07:11 -0400 (EDT)


On Wed, 30 Sep 1998, Ricardo Galli Granada wrote:

> Please Doug, do not missunderstand me, I wanted to be polite and tried to
> avoid to say "kernel 2.0.xx is SMP unsafe". This could cause tons of flame
> messages in my mailbox. I am a linux fanatic, in fact, in my company we
> just use linux systems (UP...) for 24x7 servers. Windows NT are relegated
> to internal desktop users (mainly for MS Office and design software).

Hey, Ricardo, don't worry about saying that >>any<< linux SMP kernel is
unstable or unsafe -- that is what the list is FOR. Frequently it is
true, and everybody who's been on the list for any time at all knows it.
It's not an "insult" to anybody. Indeed, one of the things that makes
linux-smp worthwhile (occassional bugs and all:-) is the fact that if
you FIND a bug (the hard way), you can get real live help on this list
and at the same time make 2.[0,1].[x+1] a bit better.

Now, people on the list might indeed flame you for JUST saying "smp
linux doesn't work" not because it is an insult but because -- even if
true in your particular case and not just a matter of a misconfiguration
or hardware conflict -- it isn't helpful.

So heck, jump right in. FIRST, check out the linux-smp FAQ to be sure
that your problem isn't a well-known one with an equally well-known
solution -- Doug's remarks suggest that it is not. If not, write the
list (like Doug did) and clearly state that you're having a problem that
might be a kernel bug, offer all the data you can about the
circumstances of the problem (anything that might be helpful to those
trying to help out) and offer to work with anybody to resolve the
problem (which is, after all, your problem as much as theirs). Folks do
this all the time and I've never seen it flamed.

Not that flames don't happen. Been scorched a few times myself. For
example, posting a dumb question (like "does linux smp work") that is in
the FAQ a dozen times over, THAT I've seen flamed...;-).

rgb

Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/
Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305
Durham, N.C. 27708-0305
Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:rgb@phy.duke.edu

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